


The Silent Ambient Cacophony

by bugsly_twig



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Dyslexic Rock Lee, F/F, F/M, Gaara Character Development, General Character Development, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-02-23 19:16:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18708307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugsly_twig/pseuds/bugsly_twig
Summary: Gaara and Lee adjust to new friendships with plenty of obstacles along the way.





	The Silent Ambient Cacophony

**Author's Note:**

> Hi and thank you for clicking on this fic! This was inspired after reading The_Utterly_Clumsy_Ninja's "In Disguise" story which I totally recommend you take a look at! There are some themes I have not personally experienced but, please, any and all feedback is appreciated to help me improve my writing. Enjoy! 
> 
> ‘…’ in between paragraphs = flashback/memory

The lights of early dawn sprinkled upon the canopies of concrete. Shades of what Lee knew as pink lemonade, tuscan sun, and cerulean were mixed together, creating a wondrous concoction of colors in the expansive sky. Void of clouds, the scenery seemed raw. This would be what he could consider nature at its finest and purest moment. It would display its true colors for those who were willing to wake up early enough, those who were willing to give up the luxury of sleeping if only to witness the fleeting beauty of reality. What he wouldn’t give to be able to see such an inspiring sight every day and let it vanquish all of his doubts and fears. 

However, he knew it would never be able to. 

Upon the roof of his tattered house, he could meditate and prepare himself for what the day would bring. He closed his eyes. He could reflect upon his past without judgment from himself or others; nature’s cruelty would be more than enough for him. With a refreshed and clear mind, his morals and motives were rechecked and stood firm. They were re-evaluated to see if they fit into the day’s standards. He tended to divide them into sectors ranging from short term to long term. 

Study. Graduate. Success. 

While significantly lacking in terms of academic skills, he had used a majority of his spare time to study and understand as much school material as he could. He opened his eyes or what he considered to be good for nothing eyes. The eyes which no one could see but saw indefinitely. The eyes that struggled with every text or message. With an outward sigh, he grabbed his bookbag and leaped off his house via fire escape ladder. 

Yet again, it was time to start another day… 

-

Gaara serenely gazed outside his ebony window where a sea of people rushed to their destinations and the honking of cars penetrated the air below. It was odd how rural met modern in this expansive city. Every alley, nook, and cranny held something unexpected. He rested his head on the palm of his hand as he leaned nearer to the transparent glass. Despite the awfully early time of day, sun just cutting over the horizon, the city was filled with people of all different ways of life. Travelers, shop owners, bakers, interns making sure they get their employer’s morning coffee, and people of business bustled throughout the city. While each person fit neatly into their own category, Gaara was a distant observer, an astronaut who did not belong to the world. 

He brought his gaze to the rising sun. It’s rays of light danced along the cracks of each building before reaching his skin; the warmth caressed his arms and found its place on his cheeks. He appreciated mornings like these. Mornings where everything started with uninterrupted effort and took the proper time necessary to settle in. The soft salmon pinks commingled into the blue gradients in the sky. He had painted this scene more times than he could count. Watching the morning unfurl was always alluring to him. The separate room filled with canvases of the sunrise held testimony to that. 

His clock’s neon and unforgiving red numbers irately blared 6:35 am. His bed had been left unattended as it found itself in mint condition. He rubbed his eyes and once again focused on the dry and nutrient-less bags that laid underneath. Temari would only let him use her eyeliner a select few times more. He took note to invest in the product after school. 

6:45. 

He lazily moved to his kitchen and grabbed a small skillet from the cupboard and placed it on the stove. The eggs felt cool on his hands and even cooler when he washed and dried them. He set the stove on low and began to stir the eggs until the yolk bleed out into the egg whites and turned into a soft yellow. The aroma wafted around the house and mere seconds later, the creaking of the wooden floorboards announced his brother’s arrival. 

“Oi, Gaara… it’s way too early to be making breakfast,” Kankuro yawned. He stretched out his arms and gazed at his younger brother. It seemed to him that the red head didn’t apply his morning eyeliner yet. The bags under his eyes were worse today than usual. Despite his countless attempts to persuade Gaara to sleep, they seldom work. Another waft of that sweet delectable scrambled egg scent sent any and all thoughts in the corners of Kankuro’s mind. 

Gaara laid the eggs on the table and grabbed his cell phone. While Kankuro was munching away, he saw that he had received a few new messages. 

7:10

Blonde_Idiot: HEY GAR! 

Blonde_Idiot: G’Mornin!

Blonde_Idiot: Are you gonna come pick me up or what? 

Blonde_Idiot: Are you actually sleeping for once?

Gaara clutched at his phone and began typing at an unbelievable speed. If there was one thing he couldn’t stand for, it was misinformation. When it was directed towards him, he would stop at nothing to correct it, even if it meant being inaccurate himself. When it was directed at others, however, he grew accustomed to instigating them. The whispers in his mind didn’t quiet unless he did their bidding. At first, it was for self-defense, a method of protecting himself. He liked to think it was a shield of some sorts. Each part of the shield, no, each grain represented a rumor he had placed in this wretched high school. If he didn’t do it, who would?

So, despite being one of the most notorious gossipers to walk along the school’s halls, he still had a reputation to uphold even if it was hypocritical to some extent.

Me: On my way. 

Me: Made breakfast for Kan and Tem. 

Blonde_Idiot: YOU MADE BREAKFAST?

Blonde_Idiot: You better bring some for me too, y’know? 

Gaara watched as his screen faded to gray and obscured his notifications; retreating to his lock screen. A picture of vibrant and fully grown opuntia macrocentra stared back at him until it was blocked by a cacophony of messages all from a certain blonde idiot. He stuffed a few spoonfuls of scrambled eggs into a container and once it was properly sealed, he placed it into a plastic grocery bag that bore those misleading smiling faces which always disregarded their consumer with a ‘Have a nice day!’ He’d be glad to finally get rid of it. 

“Hey, aren’t you going to eat some yourself?” Kankuro inquired. 

“Don’t feel like it.”

“Gaara…” They’ve had this conversation many times before and it’s never gotten any easier. Kankuro watched Gaara in silence as he pulled on his bookbag, tied on his black converse, and close the door on his way out. Just as the sound of the door dissipated, Temari entered the kitchen. 

“He stayed up all night again,” Kankuro informed his older sister. “He also made breakfast to boot.” 

“Unsurprising, although, I suppose I’m the one who has to clean up… He’s in one of those moods today, isn’t he?” Temari said. Kankuro stood up from the table and made his way to the door. He placed on his jacket and grabbed hold of a burgundy one. 

“Seems like it. He even left his jacket.” 

“I hope the poor soul who deals with him gets off easy.” 

They both knew it would never be easy, it would never get easy, but Kankuro hoped so too. 

-

The only thing incorrect about Naruto’s text was his quip that Gaara never really picked him up. Gaara simply passed by Naruto’s place and they walked to school together. It wasn’t too far out of the way but if Gaara ever admitted to that, the blonde would insist that he take the route ‘best for him’ even if the path never had any different results. Even if there were, Gaara enjoyed Naruto’s company much more than what he thought the blonde realized. 

Blonde_Idiot: Hey hey hey hey! Walk faster I see you!!!!

Me: And how, pray tell, are you seeing me, Naruto?

Blonde_Idiot: From my window! But not anymore!

Gaara looked up to see Naruto bouncing up to him from his front porch. Where Naruto got so much energy was beyond him. At least he could make up for his own lethargic tendencies.

“Hey, no-brows! Is that bag for me?” Naruto exclaimed. Gaara handed over the bag to the over-enthusiastic teen. Usually, he’d be annoyed by Naruto’s brazen attitude but some time ago he realized it helped whenever he was feeling… an itch. An itch was an appropriate term to call it, he supposed. Sure, he had his ways of dealing with it but it’s been a while since… 

“No-brows, you look like someone died. Wait, no one actually died, right? Wait a second… ” Naruto leaned into Gaara’s face to investigate what was off about his friend. Gaara leaned back despite his want to lean in closer. “I never thought I’d see the day where you don’t wear eyeliner! Is there a special occasion or something? Don’t tell me someone actually did die?”

Gaara’s eyes widened, that is if looking like a deer in headlights portrayed the same image. He felt the itch grow, clawing at his ankles and gnawing at his sides. In front of Naruto, the itch would be at bay but he had to deal with it one way or another. The irritation seeped into his mind but he couldn’t let Naruto see him so distressed. 

“Relax, you don’t have to glare at me like that. You do that in school enough times already. Y’know, a smile would do you some good,” Naruto pointed out. 

“I don’t glare.” 

“Gaara, babe, you’re completely prone to glaring. If it were an illness, you’d be diagnosed for life.” Naruto spouted out while stuffing his mouth with scrambled eggs. Gaara sighed. He never understood how Naruto was so open about nicknames. If Gaara were to make a list of who Naruto called ‘baby’, which he has tried, everyone in the entire town would be on it. Naruto had a knack for making a friend out of anyone. Naruto had even made a friend out of him for god’s sake. Maybe that was why Gaara’s heart pumped a little bit faster whenever he saw Naruto or whenever he got too close. 

7:25

They turned yet another corner and filed into the waves of students headed for the school. Several other cliques past by whispering and looking back at their direction. Gaara continued walking unfazed for he knew all the rumors there could ever possibly be in the school. He had his sources and, besides, who wouldn’t know the rumors they start themselves anyway? That was actually how he met Naruto in the first place. Back then, after all the chaos, some words were said and some conversations were exchanged but in the end, they had emerged as friends. Naruto had even offered to help him out of his… habits. 

However, today’s itch was… desperate, for lack of a better term. For Gaara, two weeks away from his old routine felt far too long. Now, it manifested behind his eyelids, threatening to be unleashed. Getting it out was deemed a necessity and Gaara wasn’t sure he could make another sleepless night. 

“Oh! Hey, Gaara, look it’s Shikamaru,” Naruto shouted to gain the Nara’s attention. “Hey, Shika, my man!”

Rumor 47: Nara has access to every answer sheet, how else do you think he’s gotten valedictorian twice in a row?

He felt the manifestation snicker as his head began to throb. Even Gaara had to admit it was a lame rumor, he was rather bored that day. He was advanced in most of his classes and generally spent his time staring out the window. To some, it was a petty statement but for Shikamaru, he was one of the few who valued education despite his apathetic mask towards every subject. The accusation had struck him to some extent as Gaara noted a few of his test grades had gone down for a month. Salutatorian Neji Hyuga should be grateful for being given a chance to finally surpass his academic rival. 

Rumor 31: Hyuga blackmails everyone wrapped around his finger. 

Not that Gaara had anything particularly against him but that pretentious attitude of his was nothing less than annoying. How he helped that dyslexic kid study was beyond him. He’d have to add that as a tick to his persona. What on earth was he getting out of it? It had to be considered some form of community service...or perhaps he felt satisfaction for being near someone so incapable? An ego boost seemed to be the right assumption but he’d save that rumor for when the time was right. 

His hundredth rumor was invaluable. After meeting Naruto, he made a vow that if he were ever going to say one again, it would have to be under a certain set of conditions. To everyone’s luck, his manifestation was open to negotiating. Yet, to Gaara’s disdain and to the disdain of his victims, the need to hurt hadn’t vanished with it, on the contrary, it seemed to grow stronger. 

They drew nearer to Shikamaru’s group. The group tensed and grew apprehensive when they noticed the redhead. While Naruto knew everyone by their heart, Gaara knew everyone by their past and eyes. 

Ino Yamanaka: Cheerleader, Actor, Dancer. A patron of the arts. Been in every thespian production from Grease to Xanadu. Has even gotten a few gigs off school. What one could consider the top of the high school food chain. TL;DR: A prima donna who would be way too easy to dethrone. 

Choji Akimichi: Big-boned, President of the Cooking club, Stubborn. His skills were actually pretty good considering he half pays attention in class and half eats his way through four bags of chips. He worked as a part-time chef for numerous restaurants. His academic skills lacked but his management was to be commended. TL;DR: Annoying food junkie.

Sai Shimura: Unemotional, self-centered, Deceased Sibling. Manages to show any slim portion of emotion through his art. Also a connoisseur of the backstabbing arts. TL;DR: Messed with him once, never again. 

7:40

The sight of Sai would usually make his blood boil if it weren’t already at its breaking point. The smug look on his face too made things worse. Rumors 19 through 27 were dedicated solely to the fake smiled adolescent. Gaara had intended on making a final rumor but Sai had threatened to report to a teacher before any more damage was done. Gaara added ‘Cheap Tactician’ to his description. 

“I’ll only edit your essay, if you actually wrote it this time, Naruto.” Shikamaru hadn’t looked up from his desktop but responded in full clarity. 

“Cut me some slack, Shika. I’ll share the document with you right now.” Naruto took a seat next to Shikamaru and whipped out his phone. Gaara took that as an invitation to follow suit and sat next to Naruto. He looked over the blonde’s shoulder and saw him send Shikamaru a link to a… disturbing video. 

“Shikamaru, I suggest you remove Naruto from your contacts and never interact with him again.” Gaara said. However, he was too late. The desktop armed teen had already clicked the link and within the school’s internet service, of all things. Thankfully, Sai and Choji were too distracted by their own devices to notice the commotion around Shikamaru’s laptop. To Gaara’s amusement, Ino had not been so lucky. 

Before Ino could reprimand Naruto and probably tell a guidance counselor, the bell to their first class had rung. As they bid their farewells, Naruto was handed two promises from an irritated Shikamaru and Ino that he’d rue the day he was born. 

The temporary distraction was all Gaara needed to push his inner demon back from being released, even if it would be short-lived. 

8:00

\- 

The coast was clear as Lee walked through the linoleum festered halls. He tucked his braid behind his ear and adjusted the collar of his noir turtle neck. Finding Neji was easy, his tutor was usually in the library chatting with some friends or reading a book on… AP Calculus, he recalled. 

A buzz in the back pocket of his jeans alerted him that someone was contacting him. Wait, someone was actually texting him first? After mentally crossing his fingers and wishing that it wasn’t a prank or a disturbing message, he begrudgingly took out his phone. 

JeiN:  
AOdiu asMesGe

“Will you be joining us this morning?”

His heart swooned. Being patient enough to help tutor him was one thing but being considerate enough to send audio messages was another. If Neji could go out of his way to send him a message, then Lee could attempt to return the favor. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t tried to type out his messages before; his numerous tries were documented in… about one hundred drafts. He had grown better at recognizing and correcting the areas where he faltered and felt eternal gratitude towards the one who helped him progress. 

Me: On me way :) 

Me: I meent *my

Me: I aplogize *meant

Me: *apologize

His heart rate increased after every mistake. Every time it happened, it was nothing less than embarrassing. He blessed the gods for the creator of the autocorrect function. He stared at his screen, awaiting a response. His knees felt weak as a set of ellipsis jumped on the screen. 

iEjn:  
DaOui SegMsae

“Don’t wear yourself out. See you soon.” 

If Lee had a quarter for every time he replayed those messages just so he could hear the calm and soothing voice that belonged to his tutor, he’d be rich. See you soon. It was said with utmost clarity and a distinctive pronunciation for every word. Neji was constantly inspiring him and encouraging his growth. What Lee would do without him, he wouldn’t know. What he did know was that Neji would one day realize the same thing everyone else did. Neji would eventually be repulsed by him and cast him away. He’d soon hear all the terrible and haunting things that- no. His morning meditation had sedated these thoughts. There was no point in bringing them up now. Even so, he hoped the inevitable day would never have to come. 

It was 7:15 am, last time he checked. Forty-five minutes to spend with Neji was all he could ever ask for. Despite how much he wanted to be near him at every given second, he knew he wasn’t in a position to do so. He had come to the conclusion that by being near Neji, Lee would only bring him down. As that was the last thing he ever wanted to do, he would only go to his tutor when invited. Lucky enough for him, the invitation was graciously offered nearly every day. 

He chuckled, the first time Neji invited him to join his morning studies was probably his favorite memory. A section in the hall broke way to a window nearly twice his height. It had a broad view of the wilderness on one half and the city on the other. The blend of different lifestyles had always been an exciting concept to Lee but he’d take the woods over the bustling streets every time. He supposed he had a moment to spare and set his backpack down on the floor next to his feet. His head felt a slight dizziness after concentrating on sending Neji those messages. Thinking about the memory would help ease his headache for the meantime. 

… 

7230, 7240, 7250… Lee counted in his head. After years of running, he had only found out a mere few weeks ago that there was an actual sport for it. Track had become his new obsession to say the least. Managing his time between both indoor/outdoor track and martial arts had been difficult but he wasn’t the type to put down a challenge. He had been fortunate that competitions were held during different seasons. 7470, 7480, 7490… During an unusually warm winter’s day, the outdoor fields were open for after-school activities. Lee probably shouldn’t have skipped out on study hall but all he did was play apps on his phone. It was basically a free period and with nothing else to do so he grabbed his stuff, changed into his uniform, and left for the crimson fields. 7500, 7510, 7520… He positioned himself at the second lane and began a light pace. As he grew accustomed to the gradually increasing speed, he noticed some others joining the track with him. It felt as though he had just arrived at the fields, how were classes over so soon? 

If things were different, he’d have continued running normally. If things were different, his hands wouldn’t have started to grow clammy. If things were different, he wouldn’t be so apprehensive towards the other kids who joined him. If things were different, he wouldn’t have to feel so inclined to run faster; to run away. If he were more normal then maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to make the kinds of important connections between friends he heard about through slice-of-life podcasts. If he were just-

7640, 7650, 7660… 

“Hey, you’re Lee, right?” This particular member of the team was one year his senior. He had pale skin and hair comparable to fresh precipitated snow. His eyes bore judgemental daggers into Lee’s skin but he liked to assume the best in people. He took a deep breath and let himself relax a bit.

“Ye-” Right in the middle of his response, his senior called over to his friends a few feet behind them. 

7730, 7740, 7750… 

“Yo! Kidomaru, Sakon, Ukon! Get over here, it’s Lee!” With a single wave, the three caught up to them and ran beside Lee’s new acquaintance. “We’ve seen you run countless times… you’re actually pretty good.” Despite the nice sound of those words, Lee couldn’t help but find them sarcastic. Instead of pointing it out, he still held onto the possibility that he was being honest. 

“Thank you! I’ve been training really hard and-” His response was, again, lackluster as the older teen interrupted. 

“You hear that, guys? He’s been training really hard. You must be thirsty, then,” The older ivory teen stated. “How about we share some water with you?” 

7880, 7890, 7900…

Now that he thinks of it, he was rather parched. He had left his bottle in the locker room with a few of his other things. He felt the chill of crisp air pass against the buds of sweat along his neck. A sip of water couldn’t hurt. 

“Sure! Thank you for the of-” 

The haste exchange shuffling behind him was followed by a torrential downpour over his head. The news didn’t mention anything concerning rain... just partly cloudy weather with a slight chill. A slight chill? Lee clutched at his sides, rubbing his arms; desperate to maintain any heat within him. It felt freezing. The clunk of an empty water bottle hitting the ground echoed within his mind. 

8000

He knew what had happened, yet more importantly, he knew he was still trying to ignore it. He shut his eyes for a moment and tried to regain his thoughts. He could hear their laughter mixed with the never-ending sound of the water bottle in a cacophony of leering and proving his doubts. Despite wanting to run away, he turned around. He turned and saw that they had disappeared. 

A distant chuckle and a “Nice one, Kimimaru!” led Lee to run to the locker room. 

The cold, which he usually shrugged off, was now seeping into everything the water touched. His eyes felt numb against the soft bristles of the towel. His chest panged in fear as he tried to relax his muscles. While the laughter in his head had subsided, a new voice took over them. 

No matter what you do… nobody will ever like you. 

The shrill deep voice edged into the front of his mind. Those words were all Lee could see. His main perpetrator made sure he knew that almost daily. Lee didn’t know whether the currant-toned head’s lack of speech or his intimidating voice was worse. He decided to conclude that the bruises on his skin had overruled anything else. 

Shivering while changing out of his clothes proved to be quite the feat the first time around. Constantly stopping and inspecting his imperfections was something he was trying to work on. His training left evidence of hard work which, unfortunately, littered his forearms. He thought that covering them nicely with long sleeves during the winter and windbreakers during the summer was quite the clever act, if he does say so himself. 

His jacket warmed him up, sure, but his hair was still slightly damp from the crude prank. As he left the locker room, a slightly taller figure awaited on the other side of the door. 

“You do realize they ruined your braid. I spent valuable time doing that.” 

“Erm, yes I suppose they did… but you can always remake it!” Lee’s bright smile reflected the artificial light above. Neji’s own thin plastered line threatened to resurface the dread Lee experienced mere moments ago. “Besides, you’re the only one qualified to do so!” 

“Lee,” Neji’s eyes broke it’s intense contact for a mere second but rerouted itself on Lee’s onyx pair. His mouth relaxed and shifted into a weary smile. He began again, “Lee, we’re heading to my place until you’ve dried up completely. It may be warmer today than the past few weeks but you can still catch a cold. You were out there running for nearly two hours. What on earth were you thinking?” Neji pulled out his phone and brought it to his ears. In quick succession, his phone was already placed back in his pocket. “Our ride is pulling up soon. Oh, and you’ll have one back to your house too.” 

This was… all too much for Lee to handle. For the first time in years, he felt his face heat up and couldn’t look at his tutor without losing his breath. He scratched the back of his head and struggled to find a response. 

“Th-that really isn’t necessary, Neji!” Lee said while waving his arms in a manner similar to warding off a pesky fly. “Walking home really is no big deal and the extra steps help relax me from runner’s high.” 

Neji raised an eyebrow. “Runner’s… high?”

“Ah, yes! Most times just after someone’s been running, they experience spikes in adrenaline that send endorphins around the body! It’s a generally pleasant feeling that can… be compared to…” Lee’s beet red face lured a rare smirk from Neji. “C-compared to feeling intense happiness.”

“Sure it is. Well, say goodbye to your euphoria because our ride is here.” 

After they had arrived at Neji’s house, Neji insisted that they eat dinner. Lee always refused but if it were Neji… he couldn’t say no. Especially when the Hyuga’s tradition infused meals were involved. While Lee could make a decent meal, the Hyuga family’s gentle handling of the ingredients and separate care for them left him outmatched. 

He took a sip of the udon placed in front of him and felt tears well up in his eyes. The flavors danced on his tongue and the previous tension in his muscles vanished completely. “Neji, your skills may even surpass Choji!”

“You flatter me, but the only thing I can cook is this.”

“Then, you can beat Choji at udon soup,” Lee took the bowl in his hand and sipped the last of the broth. “Honestly, you could give him a run for his money. I’m pretty sure he’d rather be eating than cooking.” Lee’s face lit up so bright that Neij was tempted to shield his eyes. While Lee’s smile fit him much better than his downtrodden face mere seconds before seeing Neji back at the locker room, something was amiss. 

“Now that you’re done with your meal… we have more pressing matters to attend to,” Neji stood up and took both bowls to the sink. He left them there as he walked behind Lee and placed his hands on Lee’s shoulders. They were calm but twitched slightly against Neji’s touch. Unaware of Neji’s plans until he brushed his fingers in Lee’s hair, his muscles finally relaxed when Lee began to hum. 

“Hmm, thank you so much for dinner, Neji. I should really start heading home, it’s going to get dark soon,” Before Lee could go anywhere, Neji’s grip tightened against his shoulders. No matter how hard Lee trained, there were several students who were stronger than him. Neji being one of the top ones on that list too. He was intelligent, he could cook udon noodles - which Lee was fine with since he could make up for it -, and Lee’s hair always looked it’s best after they hung out. He always felt more energized whenever they hung out too. 

“Not before I fix your hair. The braid suits you so much better than wearing it under a hat. You should let your hair out more often.” Neji gathered Lee’s hair and separated them into three sections. His hair felt like silk compared to his rough skin. 

“Trust me, if I could do my hair, I would do it every morning!” Lee responded. He cupped his hands and spun his thumbs around in the finger enclosure. Neji was so close, almost too close. He was close enough that Lee could just turn around and beg for more attention given to him instead of his hair. 

It took a while for Neji to respond but he was halfway through the braid when he stopped and considered for a moment. 

“Lee,” He said. 

“Oh!” Lee’s thumbs fumbled. “Yes?” 

“I usually study in the library before classes start. If you happen to have some time to spare, I could always do your ha-,” Neji was interrupted by Lee swinging his head back and looking at him ableist upside down. 

“You’d really do that for me?” Lee’s shout echoed through the kitchen and they soon realized it went through the entire house as Neji’s father shouted something that sounded like a muffled ‘Quiet down!’ at them while being on the other side of the house. 

“Lee, you haven’t even been here for a month, yet you’re already going to get kicked out to the curb,” Neji whispered while moving Lee’s head back to its position before his outburst. “As I was saying, you’re welcome to stop by but you should try learning for yourself.” Neji brought his hand down to Lee’s side as the overjoyed teen instinctively handed him the hair tie. 

“Done. The driver should be outside waiting to take you home. If you ever need a ride, just let me know before you get soaked, ok?” 

“Ok… but, Neji?”

“What?”

“You’re holding down my shoulders again.”

\- 

Lee brought his mind back to the present. Instead of making things better, his face was a flustered red blunder. He now had forty minutes to spend with Neji and he had stared out the window long enough. He grabbed his book bag and made his way to the library as fast as he could. 

It was time to start another day… 

-

I was hanging with you and then I realized

I didn’t think it was true I was surprised

When I found out I’ve fallen for you

**Author's Note:**

> I'm also planning on having a song at the end of each chapter! This time it was peachy - falling for u (feat. mxmtoon)! Feel free to check it out when you have a chance.


End file.
